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First Timer

Hey Everyone,

I just wanted to introduce my self as Im a first timer here. I am 30 yrs old and was diagnosed with lupus when I was 21. Im used to the disease but have had a really bad year with it. After a miscarrage, blod clot and stroke, Im finally on the mend but am struggling with keeping my spirits up. For the first time, I think this disease is beating me! Theres so many things I want in life but Im so sick and tired of being sick and tired

Im hoping some of you can relate.....Im just not the same person I was 10 yrs ago, or even 5 years ago. This disease has really change who I am and the inner happiness I used to have.

Hi JuJu,
Welcome to the site. My name is Kathy and I have SLE Lupus and have had it most of my life. I understand how you feel. This is a really serious illness big time. I will be 50 in December. I have had this illness nearly all of my life from what my doctor told me when he first diagnosed me. There are times even now that I get depressed and disgusted by this illness, but I flat out refuse to let it take me down. I hope that you can get to feeling better. There are a lot of nice folks here that are very compassionate and understanding. We all try to help each other and to make each other feel better. You can get a lot of good information here. There will be others that will come along and welcome you too. Hang in there and do keep posting.

Hugs,
Kathy

Lupus for many years. Like most of my life. Sjogrens that started at 35 and Scoliosis, Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Osteo-Arthritis of the spine, Ankylosing Spondilitis, Periferal Neuropathy, mild CP and now just recently diagnosed with PA. I had a disc replaced in December of 2007.

You are not alone here. We all have days (weeks, months....) when fighting IT is very frustrating and depressing. A good friend of mine once told me that it is better to be upright and breathing and fighting the good fight than the alternative. I had to agree.

This is a great place for comfort and support, especially on those days when you are too tired to go it alone.

I'm glad you found the site. I wish you good health.

Jana

Life is measured not by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Hi JuJu;
Welcome to our family. We all understand how frustrating this illness can be and how, often, you do get tired of the fight. I do not think that any of us are the same people that we were prior to our diagnosis. In many way, however, this change has made us better people (sick people, but better people) in that we've come to appreciate what is truly important in our lives, we value others so much more, we value every moment that we are given, we take no one and no thing fro granted, and each day is a blessing to us.
I hope that you are able to find a new you, do not grieve so much for who you once were. Instead, work diligently at becoming that best you that you can be from this moment on. Part of that work will include doing everything that you can to take care of yourself, to make your disease manageable, and to live a life that is a full as it can be.
Everyone here is willing to help you in any way that we can. Everyone here understands and cares.

I do understand the frustration with being ill so much of the time because I am ther...in fact, most of us will be able to feel for you because we know first hand with it...sorry to heat about your miscarriage...have you gone to counseling for that and/or the chronic pain?

Sometimes it helps. Especially if you have lost a child. That might be why your spirits are so low after working for so long to keep them up.

I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.......Robert Frost

It is indeed a life changing disease...sometimes day to day. I am neither the person I was five, ten year ago.

I can relate. I am learning to adapt, acclimate as the disease dictates.. Then the changes become old and then we are onto changing again. Humans we are adaptable creatures, eh? Reluctantly we adapt..we endure..